Socks for Sandy Sends Socks to Shelters

People in the shelter were walking around barefoot because there were simply not enough socks.

A team of DIY bloggers, in conjunction with Hometalk.com, have teamed up to collect socks for folks on the New Jersey coast who lost everything to Hurricane Sandy.

Why socks? Laura Kuhlmann, the blogger who spearheaded the project, lives near Tuckerton Beach, New Jersey. Her beachside community was hit hard by the storm – more than 600 houses could be rendered uninhabitable. When her sister-in-law went to volunteer at the local emergency shelter, what she found was a glut of clothing, but not enough socks. People in the shelter were walking around barefoot because there were simply not enough socks.

"There were people who lost everything and only had the clothes they were wearing. All they wanted out of anything they could have had, they wanted a pair of dry socks – just a pair of socks. I couldn't get that out of my head because I get cold feet sometimes and I know how good it feels when you put a pair of warm socks on," said Kuhlmann.

Kuhlmann, who blogs on The Shed, is part of a close-knit community of DIY bloggers. True to its DIY nature, the members of her community have mobilized to publicize Socks for Sandy.

The project is simple, and it helps people who lost everything to the storm in a profound way: Mail a package of new socks or new underwear, mittens, or winter hats only (please no clothing) to the post office box that Kuhlmann set up for Socks for Sandy. Kuhlmann will deliver the items to emergency shelters on the New Jersey coast. There is a specific need for thick, warm winter socks in all sizes, from baby socks to men's socks. Many folks on the New Jersey coast are winging it as first time handymen and remodelers, as they try to salvage their homes. They are in critical need of warm socks that are suitable for rugged outdoor work.